From the Niagara Gazette: Visitors to the city of Niagara Falls usually came by train in the early years when railroads were the main conveyance for tourists. However, you could not be in a hurry to reach your destination as travel by rail during 1800 for example was very slow. It probably took at least…
A few years ago, the popular YouTube channel for Good Mythical Morning posted a video about “Unbelievable Niagara Falls Survival Stories”. Check it out
From a Niagara Parks Commission press release seen at Niagara at Large (from September 18): In a ceremony held today, The Niagara Parks Commission was pleased to rededicate the awe-inspiring amphitheatre, Oakes Garden Theatre, in celebration of the venue’s 80th anniversary. Oakes Garden Theatre and its associated Rainbow Gardens are outstanding examples of design and architecture…
From the Niagara Gazette: Never let it be said that you could not get a room when visiting Niagara Falls during its early years before it was a city. There were 70 hotels and saloons listed in the Town of Niagara alone. This was before Niagara Falls was a city. Names we probably never heard…
This is kind of a random article that came across my news feed about Bill Stern, a sports broadcaster from the 1940s. I have no idea if this particular story is true, but a Philadelphia Enquirer story shares the following… In 1946, Stern told the story of millionaire Harry Oakes. Decades earlier Oakes had been a hobo….
From the Niagara Falls Review: History came alive Sunday as Sherman Zavitz, the city’s official historian, hosted a walking tour of Chippawa. Before a crowd of 80 people, Zavitz said the area was first mentioned 339 years ago, even before there was a town. On Dec. 7, 1678, Louis Hennepin, a missionary and explorer, became…
From the Niagara Falls Review: The first bridges across the Niagara River (first for pedestrians and carriages, later also allowing for railroad traffic) opened in the late 1840s and early 1850s. They were a good distance away from the Falls, crossing the Niagara Gorge where the CN crosses today at the eastern end of Bridge…
From WIVB Channel 4 in Buffalo: “It fell into disrepair and it sat, and now it’s coming back to life,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. Governor Cuomo toured the inside of the Hotel Niagara that is soon set to see a major transformation. The historic hotel that has been vacant for many years is where Marilyn…
From the Niagara Falls Review: Sherman Zavitz has closed the book on one chapter in his life. Over the past 26 years, he has written around 900 columns on local history for the Niagara Falls Review. His final Niagara Note column will appear in Saturday’s newspaper. “It has become increasingly difficult for me to come…
The other day when out for a walk I went past Henri’s Motel. Out front they have a white barrel that is painted with the words: The original Hill’s Barrel July 1949 I supposed they are referring to Major Lloyd Hill who went over the Falls in a barrel on July 30, 1949. NiagaraFallsInfo.com has…